Trashcan Baby Tragedy Could Have Been Avoided

A newborn baby boy was found in the trash on a plane -- the blood-covered seat was the only sign of mom. Tragically (disgustingly, horrifyingly), he was found among the garbage of a Manila-bound Gulf Air flight from Bahrain.

The child survived the ordeal no thanks to his mother, who was likely a passenger on the plane. In this case, tragedy was semi-averted, but of course anytime a person feels so desperate they have to throw away a baby, it's clearly a tragedy.

The baby boy was covered in blood and wrapped in tissue paper The airport security officer found him after he noticed something moving in a bag of rubbish set on the tarmac.

"The baby was left for dead. It was already bluish in color," airport press officer Connie Bungag said. "He could have died in a matter of minutes if he was not found."

How does something like this happen?

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The current speculation is that the baby is Filipino, which had led many to theorize that the mother is a domestic worker in the Middle East. According to Yahoo News, about one in 10 Filipinos works abroad, many as maids and laborers in the Middle East.

It isn't an easy life, to be sure, and this only highlights that. Obviously, throwing a baby away is never the act of a woman who feels secure and happy with her life. It shows a level of desperation that's hard to fathom.

What must she have been thinking as she sat in her seat, knowing she was in labor? Officials found her seat, covered in blood. They know her name, but they've been unable to locate her. She gave birth alone in the bathroom and then threw her son away like he was garbage.

Did she think it was better for him that he die there on that plane? Did she not know she was pregnant?

It's a disgusting act, to be sure. There's no other way around that. On the other hand, I do wonder about the circumstances of her life. Working abroad is difficult under the best of circumstances, but allegations of abuse and mistreatment are rampant. Who knows what circumstances led to this?

It's easy to sit in judgement. And it's clear: this is a heinous act.

Nevertheless, I wonder if this is something this woman would have done under different circumstances. I wonder what happened to her that she felt unable to hand the baby over to someone and then run away. It's easy to dismiss it as random and evil, but more important to delve into the circumstances around it.

The baby is now with social workers and they're seeking his mother and other family. I hope this poor baby boy overcomes his unimaginably sad beginning.